17-dihydrofuranyl-substituted steroids

ABSTRACT

Steroids of the gonane skeleton bearing a 17-dihydrofuranyl are prepared by treating a 17 Alpha -propadienyl-substituted steroid with silver (I) cation, and are useful as pharmaceuticals.

United States Patent Galantay Oct. 9, 1973 17-DIHYDROFURANYL-SUBSTITUTED [56] References Cited STEROIDS UNITED STATES PATENTS [7 51 nt r: ug Galantay, Morristown, 3,586,669 6/1971 Rasmusson et a1. 260/239.55

[73] Assignee: Sandoz-Wander, Inc., Hanover, NJ. Primary ExaminerElbert Roberts Attorney-Gerald D. Sharkin et al. [22] Filed: June 22, 1971 [21] App]. No.: 155,642 57 ABSTRACT Steroids of the gonane skeleton bearing a 17- dihydrofuranyl are prepared treating a It. Cl- 17a-propadienyl substituted teroid ilver cat. Fleld of Search ion and are useful as pharmaceuticals lMachined Searched Steroids 16 Claims, No Drawings l7-D1HYDROFURANYL-SUBSTITUTED STEROIDS This invention relates to steroidal compounds, and more particularly to steroidal l7-dihydrofurans, and to the preparation thereof, as well as to pharmaceutical compositions containing said compounds and to the use of said compositions.

The compounds of this invention are gonane derivatives and are conveniently represented by the formula wherein R is unbranched alkyl having from one to three carbon atoms, i.e., methyl, ethyl and n-propyl;

R is a hydrogen atom or alkyl having from one to three carbon atoms, e.g., methyl, ethyl or propyl (including isomeric forms where they exist, but are preferably unbranched); and rings A and B represents the steroidal residue:

Al A2 01' I/ B- O.

wherein R is as defined above.

Compounds 1 may be prepared by treating a Compound I1 wherein R, R and rings A and B are as defined above with silver (1) cation in a suitable medium, preferably essentially in the absence of light.

The silver cation can be provided, and the process can be carried out in various ways. For example, a water-soluble silver salt may be dissolved in a mixture of water and an organic water-miscible cosolvent, a Compound 11 then dissolved in the silver solution and the mixture held at a temperature of, e.g., from about 0 to 50 C., preferably at from about 18 to 25 C., until a substantial portion of the Compound 11 is converted to Compound 1, e.g., a period of from about 2 to 24 hours. Suitable cosolvents include ethanol, methanol, acetone, dioxane or acetonitrile. Suitable silver salts include silver nitrate (which is preferred), silver acetate, and silver perchlorate (Process a). Alternatively, a Compound 11 may be dissolved in an aprotic solution of AgBF, under the conditions described above; the aprotic solvent being preferably an ether such as dimethoxyethane (Process b).

Silica gel may be impregnated with a solution of AgNO in acetonitrile-water (e.g., l to 10:1) dried at room temperature, and the impregnated silica gel mixed with a solution of a Compound 11 in chloroform under the conditions described above. Alternatively, the impregnated silica gel may be formed into a column or plate and the chloroform solution passed through or over the impregnated silica gel body (Process c). Process c), should not be utilized however, with a Compound 11 having the structure A2.

Compounds 11 are known and are obtainable, e.g., aS described in Belgian Pat. Nos. 731,207 and 742,137.

The process of this invention is novel and is particularly surprising in that it not only gives high yields, but that the protection of starting materials, with the inconvenience and inefficiency of subsequent deprotecting and/or rearrangement of double bonds commonly encountered in reactions in the steroid art, is not required.

Compounds 1 are useful because they possess pharmacological properties in animals. In particular, such compounds are useful as fertility control agents in female animals. Compounds I having the Al structure, possess estrogenic activity as demonstrated by standard tests for estrogenic activity, e.g., in the mouse and rat as determined by the method basically described in Endocrinology 65 (1959) and Am. J. Physiol. 189 (1957) 355, respectively, and are useful as estrogenic agents, e.g., in control of fertility and in treating estrogen deficiencies, in warm-blooded animals, eg mammals.

The Compounds I having structures A2, A3 or A4 possess progestational activity as indicated, e.g., by the well known Clauberg test; the method basically described in Endocrinology 63 (1958) 464 wherein the rabbit is given 0.01 to 1.0 milligrams of active agent, and are useful in controlling fertility and in regulating estrus or the menstrual cycle, in female warm-blooded animals, e.g., mammals.

These compounds may be combined with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or adjuvant. They may be administered orally or parenterally. The dosage will vary depending upon the mode of administration utilized and the particular compound employed. However, in general, satisfactory results are obtained when the compounds are administered at a daily dosage of from about 0.05 milligrams to 30 milligrams. This daily Ingredients Parts by weight 3-Methoxy-l7a-( l '-Propenyl)- 0.5 173, 3'-oxidoestral ,3,5( l0)-triene Tragacanth 2 Lactose 89 Corn starch 5 'l'alcum 3v Magnesium stcarate 0.5

The compound I having the structure A2, R is H and R is methyl is additionally useful as an intermediate in the preparation of estr-4-ene-3-one-spiro-l7a-2'- (tetrahydrofuran) an anti-estrogenic steroid (Endocrinology 79, 125 [1966]).

This invention is illustrated but not limited by the following examples, wherein temperatures are in Centigrade and room temperature is 20 to C., unless indicated otherwise.

EXAMPLE 1 3-Methoxy- 1 7a-( 1 -propenyl)- l 7B,3'-oxidoestral,3,5( l0)-triene To a solution of 400 mg of 3-methoxy-l7apropadienylestra-l ,3,5( l0)-trien-l7fl-ol in 10 ml of chloroform there is added 1.0 g of silica-gel AgNO: and the mixture stirred in the dark, at 25, for 24 hours. The silica gel is filtered off, and the chloroform filtrate and washings are evaporated to dryness to yield the title product which is then recrystallized from ether.

By-repeating the procedure of this example, but replacing the 3-methoxyl 7a-propadienylestral,3,5(l0)-trienl7[3-ol used therein with an equivalent amount of 3 methoxy-l7a(2,3'-butadien-2yl)estral,3,5( lO)-trien-l 713-01 or l7a-propadienylestra-4-en- 17B-ol-3-one there is similarly obtained l7a-(2-buten-2'-yl)-3-methoxy-17B, 4'-oxidoestra-l,3,5(lO)-triene (m.p. 1359 C.) or l7a-( 1 -propenyl)- 1 7B, 3'-oxidoestra-4-en-3-one.

4 EXAMPLE 2 200 mg of l3-ethyl-l7a-propadienyl-goneh-5(10)- l7B-ol-3-one, dissolved in 5 ml of ethanol, is added to a solution of 200 mg of. silver nitrate in 10 ml of aqueous ethanol. After 24 hours in the dark at room temperature, 15 ml of water is added and the product extracted with methylene chloride (3X3 ml); and crystallized from acetone-hexane (3:1

EXAMPLE 3 17a-( l-Propenyl)- l 7,8,3-oxidoestra-4,9-dien-3-one 0 H cml 200 mg of l7a-propadienyl-4,9-estradien-1713-01- 3-one is added to a solution of mg of silver fluoroborate (AgBF in 6 ml of 1,2-dimethoxyethane. After 24 hours at 25 and in the dark, 12 ml of water is added and the product extraced and isolated as described in Example 2.

What is claimed is:

1. A compound of the formula wherein R is unbranched alkyl having from one to three carbon atoms, R, is a hydrogen atom or alkyl having from one to three carbon atoms, and rings A and B represents the steroidal residue:

F ll R 0 wherein R is a hydrogen atom, alkyl having from one to three carbon atoms, cycloalkyl containing five to seven wherein carbon atoms, or alkanoyl having from two to four 1 is a hydrogen atom or alkyl having from one to carbon atoms three carbon atoms, A compound of clam 1 wherem rmgs A and B are rings A and B represents the steroidal residue: of type Al. V

3. The compound of claim 2 which is 3-methoxyl7a-( 1 '-propenyl)- 1 7B,3'-oxidoestra-l,3,5( l0)-triene,

4. The compound of claim 2 which is l7oz-(2'-buten- F 2'-yl)-3-methoxy-1 7B-4'-oxidoestra-l ,3 ,5 10)-triene. R 0 0 5. A compound of claim 1 wherein rings A and B are V of type A2. A1 A2 6. The compound of claim 5 which is 13-ethyl-17awherein g zz ldzgi 33132 11 10) en 3 one. R is a hydrogen atom, alkyl having from one to three carbon atoms, cycloalkyl containing five to seven carbon atoms, or alkanoyl having from two to four carbon atoms; and v R is unbranched alkyl having from one to three carbon atoms; or rings A and B represents the steroidal residue:

H l Em or o F wherein wherein B is 0x0 or R is as defined in claim 1; and B is 0x0 or E "www- W in MWW R is as defined above; and

2 R is methyl, which comprises contacting a compound of the formula wherein R are as defined in claim 1. O 8. The compound of claim 7 which is l7a-(l- R H Propenyl)-1713-3'-oxidoestra-4-en-3one.

9. A compound of the formula n R l** l 0 ti -R W CH3 l wherein R, R and rings A and B are as defined above, with silver (I) ion.

12. A process of claim 11 wherein the source of the l silver (1) ion is silver nitrate. O 13. A process of claim 11 wherein the source of the silver (1) ion is AgBF 14. A process of claim 11 which is carried out essentially in the absence of light. 15. A process of claim 11 which is carried out at a temperature of from about 18 to 25 C. The comp,oun.d of clam] 9 whlch ls (l 16. A process of claim 11 in which the source of the propenyl)-l7B,3 -ox1doestra-4,9-d1en-3-one.

silver (1) ion is silver nitrate-impregnated Sll1Ca gel,

A process for process for preparmg a compound provided that rings A and B are other than type A2. 0 the formula wherein R is as defined in claim 1. 

2. A compound of claim 1 wherein rings A and B are of type A1.
 3. The compound of claim 2 which is 3-methoxy-17 Alpha -(1''-propenyl)-17 Beta ,3''-oxidoestra-1,3,5(10)-triene,
 4. The compound of claim 2 which is 17 Alpha -(2''-buten-2''-yl)-3-methoxy-17 Beta -4''-oxidoestra-1,3,5(10)-triene.
 5. A compound of claim 1 wherein rings A and B are of type A2.
 6. The compound of claim 5 which is 13-ethyl-17 Alpha -(1''-propenyl)-17 Beta ,3''-oxidogona-5(10)-en-3-one.
 7. A compound of the formula
 8. The compound of claim 7 which is 17 Alpha -(1''-propenyl)-17 Beta -3''-oxidoestra-4-en-3one.
 9. A compound of the formula
 10. The compound of claim 9 which is 17 Alpha -(1''-propenyl)-17 Beta ,3''-oxidoestra-4,9-dien-3-one.
 11. A process for process for preparing a compound of the formula
 12. A process of claim 11 wherein the source of the silver (I) ion is silver nitrate.
 13. A procEss of claim 11 wherein the source of the silver (I) ion is AgBF4.
 14. A process of claim 11 which is carried out essentially in the absence of light.
 15. A process of claim 11 which is carried out at a temperature of from about 18* to 25* C.
 16. A process of claim 11 in which the source of the silver (I) ion is silver nitrate-impregnated silica gel, provided that rings A and B are other than type A2. 